Feather cutter



V. J. BERG FEATHER CUTTER Nov. 22, 1966 Filed Dec. 51, 1964 INVENTOR BY VIRGIL J. BERG %a-% MZ/ nttys.

United States Patent 3,286,572 FEATHER CUTTER Virgil J. Berg, Rte. 1, Waterloo, Iowa Filed Dec. 31, 1964, Ser. No. 422,646 2 Claims. (Cl. 83-467) This invention relates to a feather cutter to be used by archers who make their own arrows.

One object of the invention is to provide a feather cutter in the form of a tool that die-cuts full length feathers to both length and shape in the same operation prior to gluing the feather to the arrow shaft.

The customary practice of shaping feathers for use on arrows is done by means of a feather burner. The feather is first glued to the arrow shaft and then rotated over a hot fine wire of the shape desired. The wire burns the feather to whatever shape the wire is formed. There are several disadvantages to this type of device as follows:

( 1) The offensive odor given off.

(2) The necessity of an electrical outlet for supplying current to the wire.

(3) The char left on the burnt edge of the feather which must be removed.

(4) The staining and sometime scorching of the arrow shaft.

(5 The necessity of trimming the ends of the feathers with a knife after burning.

(6) The necessity of checking the bent shape of the burning wire often to make sure it has not been deformed.

(7) The difiiculty of changing wires and adjustment when the need arises in changing feather sizes, and

(8) The p-re-cutting to length of the feathers prior to gluing to the arrow shaft.

Another object is to provide a feather cutter in which the cut-feather shape remains the same whereby a lost feather from an arrow shaft may be replaced by one of identical shape without the necessity of replacing all feathers of the shaft.

Still another object is to provide a relatively inexpensive yet efficient feather cutter of the die-cutting type having means to accurately position a full length feather whereupon the cutting of the feather to shape requires merely the lowering of a cutting knife to hold the feather in position followed by striking the knife a blow to effect the feather cutting operation.

A further object is to provide a feather cutter in the form of a base on which a knife holder is pivoted so that it can be elevated to permit placing of the feather in position, then lowered to effect holding of the feather in position and the feather then cut through, shaping it and cutting it to length as a result of a single blow on a cutting blade holder.

Still a further object is to provide in association with the cutting blade, a resilient holding means of sponge rubber or the like which initially engages the feather to hold it against the base prior to engagement of the feather by the cutting blade so that the feather does not slip with respect to a gauge against which the feather is initially positioned.

An additional object is to provide a gauge which is adjustable so as to change somewhat the length and shape of the die-cut feather.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my feather cutter, whereby the objects above contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in detail on the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a feather cutter embodying my invention and showing it in open position ready for the reception of a feather;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical cross section through the feather cutter showing the cutting knife brought down so that the knife holder is holding the feather in position;

FIG. 3 is an enlargement of the portion of FIG. 2 within the circle 3 thereof showing the position of the parts after the head of theknife holder has been struck and the feather thus cut;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the base of my feather cutter showing a full length feather against the gauge of the cutter, and

FIG. 5 is a similar plan view showing the feather after it is cut.

On the accompanying drawing I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate a base for my feather cutter which may be made of hard wood or the like for stability, and 12 a cutting head. The cutting head 12 is pivoted to brackets 16 of the base 10 by means of a pivot rod 14, and may assume the opened position of FIG. 1 or the cutting position of FIGS. 2 and 3.

The cutting head 12 comprises a U-shaped frame 18 to which is secured a feather cutting blade 20 as by means of screws 22, the blade being a suitably curved shape such as illustrated and located in a corresponding curved seat of the frame 18. A pressure plate 24 of suitable metal is mounted on top of the frame 18 and in contact with the upper edge of the feather cutting blade 20 as shown in FIG. 2. It is surmounted by a strike block 26 which, together with the frame 18, may also be made of hard wood or the like. Spongelike material 28 such as sponge rubber or the like is secured to the bottom surface of the frame 18 immediately adjacent the cutting blade 20 and projecting slightly beyond the cutting edge of the blade as shown in FIG. 2 wherein the cutting head has been lowered to a position of contact between the material 28 and a feather 30.

An anvil plate 32 is mounted on top of the base 10 and a gauge plate 34 is mounted on top of the anvil plate. The gauge plate is held in position by a pair of screws 36 passing through slots 38 of the gauge plate for adjustment purposes which will hereinafter appear. The gauge plate 34 is notched as indicated at 40 and 42 to clear the ends of the feather cutting blade 20.

Practical operation In the operation of my feather cutter, a feather 30 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 is placed with its quill 44 against the edge of the gauge plate 34 whereupon the cutting head 12 is swung from the position of FIG. 1 to the posiiton of FIG. 2. While the cutting head is held pressed lightly down with one finger in the position of FIG. 2, the sponge-like material 28 will hold the feather in the proper position for cutting and keep it against the edge of the gauge plate 34. The strike block 26 may now be struck a light sharp continuing blow with a rubber hammer or the like, or with the palm of the hand which will drive the cutting edge of the blade 20 through the feather 30 as shown in FIG. 3 and against the anvil plate 32. Thus, the feather is neatly cut to shape with a clean sharp cut as distinguished from the burning-wire type of device and also to length in the same operation as shown in FIG. 5 whereafter it may be glued to the arrow shaft. A plurality of die-cut feathers are used and by die-cutting them with a feather cutter of the type herein disclosed they are all uniform in shape, thus tending to avoid undesirable curvature in the path of the arrow when shot from the bow.

In FIG. 1 the strike line of the cutting edge of the blade 20 is shown at 46 (also shown dotted in FIG. 4). The corresponding shape 48 imparted to the feather after it is cut is shown in FIG. 5 wherein the cut feather is identified 30 In FIG. 4 it will be noted the curve 46 has terminal 3 ends 46 and 46 in the notches 40 and 42, respectively. This insures that the feather will be cut to length as shown in FIG. 5 where likewise the ends 46 and 46 are shown. The notches permit the gauge plate to be moved closer to the cutting blade thus making a shorter cut.

The slots 38 of the gauge plate 34 and the screws 36 afford a means of adjustment. One such adjustment is shown in FIG. 5the right-hand end of the gauge plate 34 being raised as shown by dash lines. It is, therefore, apparent that a feather cut with a gauge plate in the dashline position will be somewhat smaller and shorter than the one shown in full lines. Thus, I provide a means for adjusting both the length and to some extent the shape .of the feather cut by my feather cutter as desired by the archer using it.

With my die-type feather cutter as herein disclosed a quick and efficient means is provided whereby a fulllength feather may be cut to length and to shape in the same operation prior to gluing the feather to the arrow shaft. There is no danger of the shape of the cutting blade changing accidentally and, therefore, no need to check the shape of a burning wire as found in the prior art.

From the foregoing specification, it will be obvious that I have provided a comparatively simple tool for die-cutting arrow feathers wherein the operation is simple and the archer is assured that the feathers cut thereby will all be uniform in shape and length. At any time a feather is to be duplicated, the screws 36 may be loosened, the cutting head 12 lowered to the position of FIG. 2, an already cut feather fitted to the cutting blade and the gauge plate adjusted to a position of contact with its quill. The gauge plate may then be locked in this position and the next feather cut will be the same shape and length.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my feather cutter without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may reasonably be included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a feather cutter, a base, a cutting head mounted on said base for movement toward and away from said base, means on said base for positioning a feather to be cut, a shaped feather cutting blade carried by said cutting head and adapted to engage a feather on said base and cut the same to the shape of said blade, means of cooperation between said cutting head and said base to guide said cutting blade to the same location on said base each time said feather cutter is operated, said first mentioned means comprising a gauge plate which is provided with notches receiving the ends of said feather cutting blade to cut the feather to length.

2. A feather cutter according to claim 1 wherein said gauge plate is adjustable relative to said cutting blade to change the cut length of the feather.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 128,902 7/1872 Pinkham 83467 418,961 1/1890 Pressley et al. 83-467 2,403,035 7/ 1946 Whitson 83-467 2,558,567 6/1951 Kaeser 83139 3,229,557 1/ 1966 Kapilow 83561 FOREIGN PATENTS 589,688 12/ 1933 Germany.

WILLIAM W. DYER, JR., Primary Examiner.

L. B. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A FEATHER CUTTER, A BASE, A CUTTING HEAD MOUNTED ON SAID BASE FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID BASE, MEANS ON SAID BASE FOR POSITIONING A FEATHER TO BE CUT, A SHAPED FEATHER CUTTING BLADE CARRIED BY SAID CUTTING HEAD AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE A FEATHER ON SAID BASE AND CUT THE SAME TO THE SHAPE OF SAID BLADE, MEANS OF COOPERATION BETWEEN SAID CUTTING HEAD AND SAID BASE TO GUIDE SAID CUTTING BLADE TO THE SAME LOCATION ON SAID BASE EACH TIME SAID FEATHER CUTTER IS OPERATED, SAID FIRST MENTIONED MEANS COMPRISING A GAUGE PLATE WHICH IS PROVIDED WITH NOTCHES RECEIVING THE ENDS OF SAID FEATHER CUTTING BLADE TO CUT THE FEATHER TO LENGTH. 